


July 6th, 1957

by DanielDMcDarwin



Category: The Beatles (Band)
Genre: 1950s, First Meetings, Fluff, GUESS WHAT, I guess we're writing this, I hope you like it, Ivan and Pete have had enough of their shit, John panics, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Timers, but in anycase, its a, kinda fic, no but like, or I just can't find them, there aren't enough soulmate aus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-25
Updated: 2020-08-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:27:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26110393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DanielDMcDarwin/pseuds/DanielDMcDarwin
Summary: On July 6th, 1957. John Lennon met (actual soulmate) Paul McCartneyso let's go with the age old story but put it into an au.
Relationships: John Lennon/Paul McCartney
Comments: 3
Kudos: 55





	July 6th, 1957

**Author's Note:**

> Wow really hope this isn't shit (but who am I kidding?)  
> thanks for clicking on this anyway. Let me know what you thought In the comments :D

The inside of the bus was humid. A bunch of sweaty bodies cramped together in a bus like a pack of sardines. Outside was no better. The sun beating down on your back as sweat dripped down your brow. Yes, much better to be inside a humid bus than having to deal with that for longer than you had to.

Inside the bus, Paul stood chatting with a friend from school, Ivan. They mostly talked about whatever came up: birds, music, guitars, their soulmates. Soulmates came up more often than not. Constantly reminded by the soft ticking of the clock on their wrists. However, Ivan seemed to have a point to his starting a conversation with Paul that July day.

“... so it’s this Saturday. If you could make it I’m sure it would be fun,” Ivan said, concluding his invitation. He’d hoped Paul would show up, even if it was at a church.

“Wait this next Saturday?” Paul asked, his ears perking up. 

“Yes. Didn’t you hear me?” Ivan said

“Yeah but it’s just- Saturday is when I’m supposed to meet my soulmate.” He pulled up his left sleeve to show a clock counting down two days, three hours, and 16 minutes.

“Oh,” Ivan said dumbly. “Well maybe you’re meant to meet them there.”

“I guess we’ll see,” Paul said confidently.

“So you’re coming then?” Ivan asked. Paul just nodded his head.

The bus came to a stop and the people standing lurched forward. Ivan picked up his bag from beside his feet and gave his friend a wave.

“Well I’ll see ya then McCartney,” he said and stepped off the bus.

-

“John, you need to calm down.” Julia said, looking up at him from the couch as he paced in her living room. He was ready to hit the town on Saturday; see what happened, meet his soulmate. Instead, Nigel had told them they had a gig on Saturday at a church garden fete. Now his plans were ruined and his nerves were shot. And here his mother was trying to calm him down to no avail.

“Mum I can’t calm down! It’s my soulmate for christ’s sake!” He shouted. John then flopped onto the sofa dramatically.

“What am I gonna do?” he said softer. Julia brought her hands to his hair and attempted to soothe him.

“Well if you’re going to the gig I guess you’ll meet them there, won’t you?” John shot up in an instant, his eyes blown wide. Julia’s expression went from understanding to worried in three seconds flat.

“Oh my god, I need to practice! I can’t sound like shit if I’m gonna meet my soulmate there!” John shouted. He jumped up off the couch in search of his guitar. Julia just stared at her son with amusement. _This boy,_ was her first thought. _His poor soulmate,_ was her next thought.

***

After about six collective hours practicing over the next two day, John was feeling confident. Whoever his soulmate was, he’d hoped he impressed them. Saturday was here now and the butterflies in John’s stomach were going wild. He needed two bottles of beer in him just to distract him from the ticking on his wrist. He looked anyway. One hour, it said. 

Thirty minutes into their gig they decided to take a break, which John was grateful for. Pete had needed to keep an eye on him the whole day. Fretting over him and making sure to calm and comfort him. He’d been getting snappy but performing always put him in a good mood. 

John kept glancing at his clock, even though he knew it wouldn’t do anything to speed it up. In truth, John was nervous but he was also really excited. This is supposed to be his soulmate, his true other half and the person who loves him the most in the world. What if they’d been watching him? What if they weren’t here yet? What if they had been watching and they thought he was a shit musician?

They only had a short break before they had to go back on stage. It was now 3:30 pm and John’s clock had thirty-one minutes left. He could go thirty minutes without collapsing in this heat. 

It was a nice day. Bright blue skies, fluffy clouds, a cool breeze. The perfect day to meet your soulmate. John was just hoping he didn’t make a fool of himself. Consequently, so was his soulmate.

-

Paul’s clock steadily ticked down and with every second he was getting more and more nervous. He had (not so discreetly) been looking down at his wrist every couple of seconds. Ivan had noticed his friend’s anxiety, even though every time he asked about it, Paul responded with, “I’m fine.”

Paul really wasn’t fine. His soulmate was probably there somewhere and he was just itchin’ to talk to them. However, the thought of actually speaking to them was so nerve wracking, he almost spewed at the thought. He’d spent so much time worrying about his hair he’d almost missed the bus, and he’d planned his outfit days ahead. Felt like a bird dotting over details like that. He did want to make an impression.

“Paul you’ve been starin’ at your wrist the entire time.” Ivan pointed out as they got two cups of lemonade. He had glanced at it yet again. No matter how many times this minute he looked at it, it still said, “23 min.” 

“Yeah yeah I know. I’m just nervous is all,” Paul said sheepishly.

“You’ve got no reason to be nervous, and I’ll give you two good reasons why. One, you’re Paul McCartney; everyone loves you. And two, they’re your soulmate, they’re gonna love you. I bet they’re dying to meet you too,” Ivan concluded. Paul felt a bit stupid for worrying. He really had no reason to.

“Ya know what Ivan? The rest of the time, I’m not gonna look at my wrist.” He said, confidently pulling his sleeves down over his timer.

“I’m so proud,” Ivan said, fake crying.

A ways away, Paul heard a sound that caught his ear. A skiffle band and a small crowd around them. Ivan had wandered away to find a bird, but Paul stood there in a trance. His feet eventually started moving towards the music and could clearly see the band now that he was in front of them. The rest of the band didn’t look like a skiffle group, didn’t even look like they were really musicians. The lead singer on the other had; he look like he belonged there. He was clearly passionate about the music, even if he was playing the wrong chords for his instrument and singing the wrong words. The longer Paul looked at him, the more he thought he might’ve seen him somewhere. Maybe on the bus or something. _Probably wouldn’t’ve approached him,_ he thought. _Looks like a ted._

He stood there listening to them play for who knows how long. The band was about to close up this skiffle number when Ivan appeared beside him.

“Oh good you’re already here. This was the band I was tellin’ you about. Wanted to introduce you.” He said. Paul had the urge to check his timer but stopped himself. 

“Okay then, lets go.”

-

Backstage, John was sweating. Not from the heat, but from the nerves. The alcohol wasn’t helping and Pete was trying his best to calm him down.

“John, calm down. Try to breathe,” Pete pleaded. John looked on the verge of hyperventilating. 

“How am I supposed to calm down when I'm going to meet my soulmate in-” he checked his timer, “- one minute and 11 seconds?” John asked angrily. He began pacing again.

“Okay just sit down, relax. It’s gonna be okay.”

“It’s not gonna be okay. What if they saw me playin’ and thought I was shit? What if they took one look at me and said, “wow can’t believe that ugly cunt would even attempt to play music”

“John, please. You’re overreacting.”

“Oh my god, 48 seconds.”

“John it’s okay come her.” He brought John into a hug and John buried his face into Pete’s neck as he tried to breathe.

30 seconds left. He had controlled his breathing enough to smile. Len handed him a beer to level his nerves. He’d tried joking Colin before he heard the church door open.

“Oi lennon.” The voice shouted. It was Ivan and behind him was a boy he didn’t know. He wore his hair in a precise Elvis quiff and a white sport coat. And on his back was a guitar.

“Great set as usual. I’d like you to meet a friend of mine, Paul McCarteny.”

Paul looked up and the moment his eyes locked onto John’s face, he could hear the timer that had been attached to his wrist as long as he could remember falling to the ground with a dull clank, at the same time as the boy’s in front of him. 

Everyone stopped for what was really at the most 10 seconds, but to John it felt like the whole world had stopped spinning. The boy in front of him, ‘Paul,’ his brain supplied, was absolutely beautiful. He couldn’t believe he was so lucky to have him as a soulmate. _He got the bad end of the deal,_ he thought. He stretched out his hand and Paul took it.

“Hi, I’m John… “

  
  


  
  



End file.
